Conveying arrangement for containers

ABSTRACT

A container arrangement is disclosed having two endless link chains which move in a substantially parallel path along a conveying run. Conveying caps are secured to the link chains and have a tapered conveying surface in the longitudinal direction of the chain to form a generally saw-tooth discontinuous conveying surface.

United States Patent 1 Barker 1 Jan. 7, 1975 CONVEYING ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTAINERS [76] Inventor: Maynard C. Barker, 10906 Ridgedale Rd., Temple Terrace,

Fla. 33617 22 Filed: June4, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 366,804

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 288,447, Sept. 12, 1972, which is a division of Serv No. 147,682, May 28, 1971,

which is a continuation of Ser. No. 788,136, Dec.

[52] U.S. Cl. 198/52 51 Int. Cl. ..B65g 47/18 [58] Field of Search 198/52, 165, 162, 43, 198, 198/41 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,911,961 5/1933 Mojden ..l98/l62 3,754,635 8/1973 Moldcn 198/41 Primary ExaminerRichard E. Aegerter Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Patrick J. Walsh [57] ABSTRACT A container arrangement is disclosed having two endless link chains which move in a substantially parallel path along a conveying run. Conveying caps are secured to the link chains and have a tapered conveying surface in the longitudinal direction of the chain to form a generally saw-tooth discontinuous conveying surface.

4 Claims, 27 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 7 I975 SHEET DIUF 15 N OOOO PATENTEU JAN 7 SHEET OZBF 15 PATENTEDJAN 1:915 3,858.71 1

sum UBUF 15 Fig. 3

A -A 8-8 C-C 8-8 contomer length AC AC m some horiz plane PATENT JAM 7:975

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PAIENTEU 71975 3.858.711

sum user 15 PATENTED 3.858.711

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PATEHTEI] JAN 7 I975 SHEET OSUF 15 PATENTED JAN 7 i 5 SHEEI mm 15 PATENTED 3,858,711

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PATENTEDJAN ms SHEU IEUF 15 Fig/8 PATENTED 7 5 SHEET 130F 15 CONVEYING ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTAINERS This is a division of application Ser. No. 288,447 filed Sept. 12, 1972 which is a division of Application Ser. No. 147,682 filed May 28, 1971 which is in turn a continuation of Application Ser. No. 788,136 filed December 31, 198in the name of Maynard C. Barker for Conveying Arrangement for Containers, Group Art Unit 313. This application incorporates by reference the entire subject matter disclosed in each of said earlier applications.

This invention relates to container conveying devices, and more particularly to conveying arrangements for cans or other similar containers, being of especial value in the conveying of filled or partially tilled cans which are desired to be raised or lowered, or to be moved horizontally or in some combination of vertical and horizontal movement from one location to another, as in handling and processing cans during manufacture or subsequent manipulation thereof in various process operations.

In the container industry, and particularly the can handling and processing industry, there has existed a need for a more positive and effective apparatus for moving a can or other container in the filled state. A can which is completely filled with non-homogeneous material or which is only partially filled, as is very often the situation, is relatively unstable in its weight distribution, due to the uneven and easily shiftable distribution of the contents, especially in the case of liquid, particle, or combined liquid and particle material. In addition, the substantial added weight of the contents relative to that of an empty can presents an added problem which must be overcome in effectively conveying full cans as distinguished from the lighter weight empty cans.

Various methods and apparatus have been employed to solve these problems with varying degrees of success, including end grip elevators and lowering apparatus employing generally rough surfaced opposed endless belts. These belt type friction gripping apparatus leave much to be desired, due to their lack of positive conveying control action and their own self-added problem of container contamination, especially when handling unsealed containers, the lack of adequate positive conveying control action on filled cans often being particularly troublesome. In addition, various chain conveyors have been developed, including chains with a flat articulated conveying surface formed by flat topped articulated conveying elements, of crescent,

rectangular, and other plan configurations, secured to or formed on the links. These various flexible or articulated flat surfaced conveyors have met with some substantial degree of success, but have left much to be desired in the way of more positive conveying action on the cans, and especially filled cans.

It is accordingly a ma or feature of this invention to belt conveyors.

Still another feature is the provision of a chain conveyor arrangement which provides an articulated sawtoothed conveying surface formed of individual-linkcarried conveying caps which are individually easily removable and replaceable.

A further feature lies in the provision of end gripping elevator and lowering arrangements which operate on the end gripping principle, and which provide a desired degree of positive container conveying control.

Another feature is a conveyor chain arrangement employing standard chain links which may preferably be of the roller type, and which incorporates replaceable conveying caps which may be replaced without removal of the securing element or elements holding the chain link pins in place, and in one embodiment without removal or unsecuring of the chain connecting mounting pin for the caps, thereby enabling more easy replacement of the conveying and replacement of such caps at otherwise difficult or impossible replacement zones.

It is a still further feature to provide an articulated capped chain conveyor arrangement employing removable and replaceable wear strip guides for bearing and guiding engagement by the caps, the wear strip guides having mirror-reversible bearing and guiding surfaces for engagement by the caps and for guided spaced suspension of the chain therebetween.

A further feature is the provision of a container lowering arrangement of the end-gripping type and which provides for a desirable degree of positive conveying action along its conveying path, including a down-flow conveying run, while providing for substantially posi' tive blocking of dropping or falling of the containers through the down-flow run, as during operation or in the stopped condition of the conveyor, such being of particular importance and value in the lowering conveying of filled cans which in the absence of positive control are very prone to sliding and falling along and through a down-run as in the prior friction belt lowering apparatus.

Still other objects, features and attendant advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art, from a reading of the following detailed description of several physical embodiments constructed in accordance with the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation illustration of an elevator according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective schematic view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, the sprocket wheels and chain and cap asemblies being only indicated in diagrammatic phantom for clarity of illustration.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the container flow relationships of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration in diameteral plan section through the lower sprocket wheels, of the inflow zone of the elevator of FIGS. 1 and 2, in the zone of the lower sprocket wheels and conveyor chain and caps guided thereby.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view in front elevation of a fragmentary illustrative section of the elevating run of the conveying caps and cans in the elevator of FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyor surface saw-tooth depth being exaggerated for purposes of illustration.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, in partial section, of the conveyor chain, cap and guide arrangement according to the invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view in partial section and partial phantom line for clarity of illustration of an illustrative section of the conveying chain and cap assembly.

FIG. 8 is a side view in partial longitudinal center section of the section of conveying chain and cap assembly of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9-14 are section views taken respectively on lines 9-9 through 14-14 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary view, in more detail, of the can diameter adjustment arrangement.

FIG. 16 is a schematic perspective view of a container-lowering arrangement embodiment according to the invention.

FIg. 17 is a schematic perspective view of a modified lowering arrangement according to the invention.

FIG. 18 is a schematic view in front elevation of a fragmentary illustrative section of the lowering or down-flow run of the conveying caps and conveyed cans in the lowering arrangements of FIGS. 16 and 17,

the conveyor surface saw-tooth depth being exaggerated for purposes of ease of illustration.

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary view, in partial section, of a modified and preferred chain and cap guiding arrangement according to the invention.

FIG. 20 is an end view of the chain and cap guiding arrangement of FIG. 19.

FIG. 20A is a view similar to FIG. 20, illustrating a preferred modification of the conveying caps used in conjunctionwith the modified replaceable reversible guide strip arrangement of FIGS. 19-21.

FIGS. 20B and 20C are perspective views, partially in phantom for emphasis of modification, of modified conveying caps of the modified embodiment of FIG. 20A.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view, with a fragment broken away for clarity of illustration, of the reversible guide strip of FIGS. 19 and 20.

FIG. 22 is a longitudinal section view of a modified chain and cap arrangement, which offers preferred advantages.

FIGS. 23 and 24 are perspective views, partially broken away for clarity, of modified conveying caps.

Referring now in detail to the Figures of the drawing, in the elevator 11 as shown in FIGS. 1-15, cans C are raised from a first lower inflow zone to a higher exit zone through the medium of a pair of flexible endless loop chain and cap asemblies generally indicated at 21. Cans C are fed into the entrance zone formed by the lower arcuate run of the chain and cap assemblies 21, as by a gravity chute 51a, 53a, 55, which may lead from any desired input device such as the exit chute from a preceding can processing or handling machine. The cans are end-gripped between the interfacing caps 31, 33 of the chain and cap assembly 21 and moved arcuately upwardly along and between guides 51b, 53b and thence vertically upwardly between the guides 51c, 53c to an exit zone where they are removed by path interference curved cam guides 103a and discharged into a further gravity chute 103, 105, from whence they may be guided or conveyed to or through other handling, storing, or processing apparatus as desired.

The endless chain and cap assembly 21 is preferably formed by a roller chain 23, with replaceable tapered or inclined surfaced caps 31, 33 secured to the chain 23 through the medium of the mounting pins 29 (See FIG. 7 and 8) which extend through link-connecting bushings 26, and these two endless articulated assemblies are each guided about a respective two spaced sprocket wheels 81 and S2 and along spaced parallel channel guides 41 in the vertical runs between the sprocket wheels S1 and S2. Driving of the conveying chain and cap assemblies 21 is effected through upper coaxial sprockets S2 as by a motor M and suitable drive connection 121, which may include a speed reducer if desired, to the splined or square drive shaft 123 on which the sprocket wheels S2 are axially adjustably mounted.

The lower entrance sprockets SI are mounted on idler shafts which ride in bearings 127, and the shafts 125 are each canted by a small angle a, as for example approximately 35, relative to and substantially directly below the axis of shaft 123 for sprockets S2, so as to cant or splay the sprocket wheels Sl open at the entrance side as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4. As viewed in FIG. 3, the sprocket wheels 51 are adjusted and set as by set screws on their shafts 125 such that the inner distance between the trailing edges of interfacing caps 31, 33 at zone A-A is a small amount greater than the length of a can or other container to be conveyed, the distance at CC is less than the can length by an approximately equal amount, and the distance at BB is equal to the can length. Thus, as the cans enter through gravity chute 55, 51a, 53a, and proceed down between arcuate guides 51b, 53b, they pass freely between the two arcuate rows of interfacing caps or pads 31, 33 on chain and cap asemblies 21 in the zone between A-A and BB, and at the bottom of the arc of travel along guides 51b, 5312 they are gripped at their ends between the respective opposing caps 31, 33 as indicated schematically in FIG. 3, and continuingly greater gripping action'is effected between zone BB and zone C-C, where the chain and cap assemblies leave the sprocket wheels S1 and the straight vertical lift run of the cans C begins. Dependent upon the containers C being conveyed, both in structure and in material of the containers C, the amount of end pinching or clamping action may be varied, it having been found, for example, in one illustrative general purpose embodiment that a satisfactory pinching or clamping action on conventionally beaded metal cans can be effected by making the cap interface distance at C-C less than the distance at A-A by approximately onefourth inch, the cap trailing edge interface distance thereby being approximately /5 inch less than the can length at the zone CC and along the vertical run betwen guides 41 to the exit zone adjacent sprocket wheels S2. More or less pinching or clamping action may be effected as desired or necessary by varying the angle a for given sized sprocket wheels S1. A small, yet effective, degree of elastic resilience is advantageously afforded between the opposed caps 31, 33 in their clamp or pinch gripping action by forming the caps of a suitable wear and creep resistant and relatively rigid material which is of relatively low durometer particularly as compared to steel and other similar structural metals (e.g., a durometer of approximately 50-55 is satisfactory and advantageous), so as to provide a small, yet effective, amount of conveying surface yielding action, suitable materials including resins or other plastics such as polyurethane, nylon, or Delrin acetal resin, or fiber-filled or other suitably filled combinations of such plastics, or other suitable materials may be employed as may be desired, a dual material combination modification being further described at a later point in this description.

Varying sized cans or other containers, may be ac commodated, can length adjustments being made by a length adjustment device indicated generally at 81 and including four parallel shafts 87, each of which has two spaced oppositely threaded sections 87a, 87b on which are threadedly mounted cross plates or bars 93 to which are secured vertical channel guides 41 as by screws or bolts 93a (see FIG. 2). These shafts 87 and intermediate idler shafts 89 are rotatably mounted in bearings 97 supported on a suitable frame 99 which also may suitably support all of the other portions of the elevator, such .as the can guides, the sprocket wheels, and motor drive arrangement. Connecting the shafts 87 is chain 95 which engages small sprocket wheels 88 secured on the respective shafts 87 and 89, although the sprocket wheels on shafts 89 may be free, and the shafts 89 fixed, if desired. Mounted on one of the cross bars or plates 93 and in driving connection with the adjoining screw shaft 87 is a right angle screw drive 85 having an input shaft 83a with a manual handle 83 secured thereto for selected manual rotation of the shafts 87 and consequent lateral adjustment of the channel guides 41, thereby adjusting the adjacent vertical runs of the chain and cap assemblies 21. The sprocket wheels S1 and S2 may be adjusted as by axial sliding of sprockets S1 on shafts 125 and resetting the sprocket-securing set screws or other securing means therefor, whereas sprockets S2 may be either similarly reset and set screw secured or may be permitted to seek their own axial position on the square common drive shaft 123 as determined by the lateral spacing of guides 41 and the passage of the chain and cap assembly 21 thereabout. Can length adjustment may also necessitate or render desirable sideways lateral readjustment of the can circumference guides 51, 53, both at the gravity infeed 51a, 53a, 55 and along the lower arcuate and vertical portions thereof 51b, 53b, 51c, 530.

As later described in more detail, lateral adjustment slots 71a in guide support plates 71, in conjunction with securing screws 73 and associated threaded plate nuts 75 (see FIG. enable desired sideways lateral adjustment of vertical guide sections 510, 53c, and similar adjustment of the entrance guide sections 51a, 53a, 51b, 53b may be effected by spreading or narrowing the bracket plate guides 55, whereas the exit guides 101, 103 may likewise be widened or narrowed as by sideways spacing adjustment of or on their respective supports (not shown).

Diameter adjustments may be effected by adjustment of entrance guides 51a, 53a closer or further apart as appropriate, through vertical adjustment of the vertical mounting position of bracket guides 55 and relative adjustment movement of guides 53 along adjustment slots 55a in bracket guides 55; by spacing adjustment of vertical guides 51c, 530 through the four guide adjustment units generally indicated at 61 (see FIGS. 2 and 15); and unless guides 101 and 103 are suitably fixedly positioned with a suitably oversized can diameter spacing, then these guides 101, 103 may similarly be relatively adjusted as by adjustment of their supporting elements (not shown) which may also include in or out shifting of the guides 103 with their associated path interference curved cam guides 103a relative to the path of chain and cap assemblies 21. It will, however, be noted that by constructing the curved can removal cam 103a and discharge guide chute 103, 105 of sufficient diameter-accommodating oversize it may not be necessary to make any adjustment to these elements.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 15, the guides 51, 53 are selectively adjustably mounted for variation of lateral sideways and can diameter accommodating spacing, the guides 51, 53 being slidably adjustably mounted as by screws 73 and threaded plate nutsd 75 on cantilever plates 71, slots 71a enabling selected sideways adjustment. Cantilever plates 71 are in turn threadedly mounted as by threaded bosses 71b thereon which threadedly engage the respective oppositely threaded sections 63a, 63b of diameter adjustment shafts 65 which are manually rotated by hand cranks 63 to set the vertical sections 516, 530 of guides 51, 53 to a desired diameter setting, it being noted that the front and back adjustment of these guides 51c, 530 is thereby achieved equally relative to the center line of the path of chain and cap assembly 21 along channel guides 41, thus providing for centered conveying of the containers C by the conveying caps 31, 33, within the range of possible adjustment.

The endless loop conveyor chain and cap assemblies 21 and their guided relation with channel guides 41 are shown in more detail in FIGS. 6-14. Each endless loop conveyor chain and cap assembly 21 is made up of an endless loop of chain 23 to which replaceable container conveying caps are removably secured against and rest contiguously on the outer face of the respective adjacent link plates 24, 25 of the chain 23. Chain 23 is preferably a roller chain and may be of generally standard construction as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, including alternate pairs of roller link plates 24 and pin link plates 25 with lip-rolled ended (as shown) or force fit connecting bushings 26 and 27, and having cap mounting and securing pins 29 mounting and securing the caps 31, 33 to and against respective links 24, 25 of the chain 23.

The replaceable conveyor caps are formed in two configurations 31 and 33 for complementary interfitting with the respectively directly adjacent link plates 24 and 25 to which they are secured as by pins 29. Each of the caps 31 and 33 has a forwardly tapered or inclined smooth conveying surface 31a, 33a respectively, which, by virtue of the respective thickness configurations of the caps along their longitudinal center zones, provides an endless band discontinuous articulated saw-toothed conveying surface 31a, 33a, 31a, 330, etc., the leading edges of the saw-toothed surface being closer to the chain 23 than the trailing edges thereof. Caps 31 and 33 each have bores 31b and 33b respectively, through which pins 29 extend for securing the caps to the link plates, pins 29 and caps 31, 33 being removably secured to the chain assembly by suitable end-securing means such as cotter pins 290 passing through transverse bore 29b in pins 29, and speed nuts 29f secured to recessed threaded outer end 29c of pin in the counterbores 31ac, 3311c respectively. While mounting pins 29 may be freely slidably removable in link bushings 26, with retaining cotter pins 29a, these cap mounting pins may alternatively be press fit secured into the bushings 26, thereby enabling ease of removal of the caps 31, 33 from the chain 23 as by unscrewing or breaking speed nuts 29f or breaking and removing the plastic cap desired to be replaced and then removing nut29f, without removing or freeing pin 29 from the chain 23, this feature being desirable in enabling case of replacement of the caps 31, 33 at almost any location along the conveyor chain runs without worry about holding the pin 29 during replacement of the cap and speed nut 29f. An alternative chain construction is illustrated in FIG. 25, in which cap mounting pins 629 are formed to combine the structure of pins 29 and link connecting bushings 26 in one integral member having a shoulder flange 629d and threads or knurled serrations or other suitable securing means on its link end 6290, the pin 629 then removably securing links 24 and 25 between shoulder flange 629d and removable speed nut 62%. Thus, the caps 31, 33 may be easily removed as discussed previously by removal of speed nut 629fwithout disconnecting or unsecuring of mounting and connecting pin 629 from the chain links.

The side walls of the caps 31 and 33 may be suitably parallel or tapered as desired, and the leading and trailing walls are respectively complementarily convexly rounded as indicated at 31-1, 33-1 and have a central complementary concavely rounded wall recess 3ltc, 33:0, formed between two generally flat trailing walls 31tf, 33tf, with the trailing wall thus forming a partial skirt wall closely adjacent and about a portion of the convex leading wall 31-1, 33-1 of the respective adjacent trailing cap. The edges of the conveying surfaces 31a, 33a are rounded, thereby tending to prevent chipping of the edges and providing for more smooth container engagement by the cap conveying surfaces 31a, 33a.

The counterbore recesses 3111c, 33ac also serve, in addition to their function as a recess for the speed nuts 29f and pins 29, the additional function of an added conveying edge surface at the side and trailing junction of the counterbores 31ac, 33ac with the respective inclined conveying surfaces 31a, 33a.

The undersurfaces or back surfaces of the respective conveying caps 31, 33 are formed with side runner bearing surfaces 31r, 33r and raised parallel centering guide walls 313, 33g for guided engagement with the parallel spaced guiding surfaces 47 formed by the inturned edges of the legs 45 of channel guides 41, and with longitudinal center channels 31h, 33h for receiving and flat contiguous engagment with the facing outer flat surfaces of respective link plates 24 and 25. The distances of these channels 31h and 33h from the tapered or inclined upper conveying surface 31a, 33a of caps 31, 33 is complementary to and determined by the relative lateral position of the adjacent outer flat surfaces of links 24 and 25, so as to provide a continuing saw-tooth surface 31a, 33a of substantially the same height and configuration along the length of the endless band chain and cap assembly 21, independent of the particular cap forming the conveying surface. Also to this end, the forward under surface 33s of cap 33 is recessed to a depth corresponding to the depth of channel 31h, as both caps 31 and 33 rest on chain links 25 at these respective rear and front zones, the recessed surface 33s being open at its forward end, and flared to enable the desired degree of articulated relative motion between the respective link-cap articulated sections 24, 31 and 25, 33. Preferably channel 31h is closed at its forward end to generally conform to the adjacent forward rounded end of link plate 25, although this channel 31h may continue along the entire length of cap 31 underface if desired. Both channels 31h and 33h have counterbore recesses 31c to accommodate the adjacent swaged flanges or lips on the connecting bushings 26 and thereby enable the desired flat interface of the channels 31h, 33h with the chain links 24, 25.

In FIG. is schematically illustrated various possible holding or clamping positions of the beaded containers C along the vertical lifting run of caps 31, 33 of conveyor chain and cap assembly 21. Thus for the illustrated relative container diameter and length of caps 31, 33 the can may, among other positions, assume the positions illustrated, in which the upper illustrated can C is suspended at its upper and lower bead edges Cb by the central area of caps 33 (or 31 as the case may be), the middle illustrated can C is tilted to the right and is suspended essentially through interengagement between its upper right hand and lower left hand beaded edges Cb and the adjoining opposed upper and lower caps 31 (or 33 as the case may be). The lower illustrated can C is tilted to the left and is likewise suspended between cap surfaces at diagonally spaced beaded edges of the can C. Various clamped and suspended positions of the containers may occur, dependent on various factors including the relative sizes and configurations of the containers C and conveying caps 31, 33, and these clamped positions are only illustrative for the purpose of schematically indicating the ability of the conveying chain and cap assemblies to clamp and generally positively move the containers C from their lower position at 8-8 (FIG. 3) to their discharge position at the exit chute 103, where the cans are laterally cammed out from between the caps 31, 33 by their running engagement with the curved removal cam 103a (FIGS. 1-3). The containers C may be gripped to a greater or lesser degree, as desired, by changing of the spacing between the interfacing saw-toothed surfaces. The depth of the saw-toothed surfaces is not critical and may be varied to suit specific requirements; however, it is most advantageously desirable and preferred to employ a combination of relatively low cap surface durometer and relatively shallow saw-tooth surface depth for most desirable positive conveying action while enabling the desired ability for continued running without damage when jam-ups or stoppages of container flow occur, a trailing edge/leading edge differential of 1/32 inch having been found to be satisfactory for general purpose caps 31, 33 of approximately 1% inches length and 1 /2 inches width, and cap durometer of 50-55, as an illustrative example. It will also be appreciated that while the cans C are generally positively clamped between interfacing runs of caps 31, 33, the saw-toothed configuration of the caps 31, 33, and the relative elastic resilience of the plastic caps 31, 33 (as well as to some degree the elastic resilience of the containers C) enables the conveyor chain and cap assemblies 21 to continue to run without damage when there is ajam-up or stoppage of the container flow, as might be caused by difficulties in a subsequent processing apparatus.

In FIG. 16 is shown a lowerator or lowering conveyor generally indicated as 211, the lowerator 211 having essentially the same basic elements and arrangement of parts between and including the sprocket wheels S1, S2, except that the direction of the conveying caps is reversed so as to form a down-flow vertical conveying run into the in-splayed closer spaced diametral zone of the sprocket wheels S1, the convex tapered beading edges of the caps being disposed in the downward direction along this run as indicated in FIG. 16. Suitably supported guides 261, 263, 267 form a gravity feed chute into the parallel arcuate upper run of the caps 31, 33 along drive sprocket wheels S2, which are adjustablyaxially secured in their drive shaft, the cans being cammed into conveying engagment by the interfacing saw-toothed surfaced arcuate runs of chain and cap asemblies 21 by the gravity feed action thereon from the gravity feed chute 261, 263, 267 and by the infeeding camming and gripping action exerted by the saw-toothed interfacing conveyor cap surfaces along this arcuate run in conjunction with the infeed down- 

1. A chain conveyor arrangement for conveying a plurality of containers such as cans arranged in a line comprising two endless articulated link chains having a plurality of associated conveying caps secured to the links thereof, said chains being spaced apart and substantially parallel along a conveying run thereof, said sets of caps facing one another and being spaced apart, each of said caps having a conveying surface opposite said chain and which is unidirectionally tapered in the longitudinal direction of said chain to form a generally sawtoothed discontinuous conveying surface for conveying a plurality of containers arranged in a line, corresponding associated guides engaging the oppositely outer faces of said caps and maintaining said chain and associated caps in substantially parallel path spaced relation along and on opposite sides of a desired first article-conveying path, second guides engaging said link chains and directing said link chains and associated caps along respective desired paths along and on opposite sides of a second desired article-conveying path, said second guides being equally canted with respect to the longitudinal center line of said second desired article conveying path to thereby effect corresponding canted paths for said link chains and associated caps along said second article conveying path, said second guides being equally arcuate along said second article conveying path and said second article conveying path being similarly arcuate, said second guides being sprocket wheels having their axes inclined with respect to the longitudinal center line of said second article conveying path, said sprocket wheel axes being substantially equally inclined with respect to the longitudinal center line of said second article conveying path, and an article conveying chute disposed in feeding relation to said sets of caps in the zone of said second arcuate article conveying path aNd having its chute exit to said sets of caps adjacent the wider open portion of said second arcuate conveying path, the direction of feed of said chute being in the direction of convergence of said link chains and associated sets of caps along said second arcuate article conveying path.
 2. A chain conveyor according to claim 1, the first said article conveying path being linear and steeply inclined to the horizontal, and said second article conveying path being disposed below and in connecting feeding relation to said first article conveying path.
 3. A chain conveyor according to claim 2, said first article conveying path being substantially vertical.
 4. A chain conveyor according to claim 1, said article conveying chute and said second arcuate article conveying path being disposed above said first article conveying path, said first article conveying path being downwardly inclined, and the interfacing conveying surfaces at the leading edges of said caps being spaced further apart than at the trailing edge surfaces thereof. 